Window sash balance



Jan. 26, 1937. E. A. ANDERSON WINDOW SASH BALANCE 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed Jan. 11, 1935 ElflwlHAndensvm, W

Patented Jan. 26, 1937 UNiTED STATES PATENT GFFICE 7 Claims.

This invention relates to windows, and more particularly to a means for facilitating the opening of either the bottom or top sash individually, or the simultaneous opening and closing of the upper and lower sashes of the window through the manipulation of a novel controlling means.

Another object of this invention is the production of a simple and efficient sash opening mechanism for windows which may be so adjusted as to permit the opening of the bottom and top sashes individually if desired, or the simultaneous opening and closing of the top and bottom sashes.

A still further object of this invention is the production of a simple and efficient latching means which may be so operated as to quickly and efficiently permit of the individual or the simultaneous operation of the window sashes.

Other objects and advantages of the present invention will appear throughout the following specification and claims.

In the drawings:

Figure 1 is a front elevation of a window frame showing the sashes in a closed position;

Figure 2 is a front elevation of a window frame showing the upper sash in a partly open position;

Figure 3 is a front elevation of a window frame showing the lower sash in a partly open position;

Figure 4 is a front elevation of a window frame showing both the upper and the lower sashes in a partly open position;

Figure 5 is an enlarged vertical sectional view through a portion of a window frame showing the novel sash operating mechanism, the top and bottom sashes being closed;

Figure 6 is a vertical sectional view through a portion of the window frame showing the top and bottom sashes partly open;

Figure '7 is an enlarged fragmentary vertical sectional view showing the latching bolt;

Figure 8 is an enlarged vertical sectional view through the window frame showing the sashes in a second adjusted position;

' Figure 9 is an enlarged sectional view taken on line 9-9 of Figure 5;

Figure 10 is an enlarged section taken on line Ill-l0 of Figure 1;

Figure 11 is a front elevation of one of the socket plates carried by the lower sash;

Figure 12 is a perspective view of the operating button carried by the lower sash;

Figure 13 is a plan View showing the outer face of the bottom sash;

Figure 14 is a plan view showing the inside face of the top sash; and

Figure 15 is a vertical section through a portion of the window frame illustrating the bottom sash and a portion of the upper sash and the arrangement of the stop plates for limiting the movement of the sashes.

By referring to the drawings, it will be seen that l0 designates the conventional window frame within which is slidably mounted an up- 10 per sash I l and a lower sash l2, which sashes are of conventional type having added thereto certain novel mechanical structure for controlling the operation of the sashes. The upper and lower sashes are arranged in spaced relation in 15 the conventional manner and upon the frame, and between these upper and lower sashes H and I2, at the point of approximate overlap, is arranged a pinion supporting casing I3 within which is journaled a pinion M, the pinion I4 being carried by the shaft I 5 and rotating therewith. The shaft l5 may be journaled in any suitable or desired manner within the window frame ID.

The upper sash II is provided along each longitudinal inner edge with a channel it in which is mounted a rack bar H, the rack bar I! having rack teeth l8 upon its inner face for meshing with the pinion M, as shown in Figure 5. The rack bar I! may be anchored in position by means of suitable securing screws l9.

The lower sash !2 is provided with channels 20 upon either side of the sash along the inner face thereof, as shown in Figure 8, and slidably mounted rack bars 2l are carried within these channels 20. These rack bars 2! are provided with rack teeth 22 upon their inner faces, as shown in Figures 5 and 8, which rack teeth 22 mesh with the pinion M, as shown in Figures 5, 6 and 8. Each rack bar 2| is provided with a 40 pair of longitudinally extending slots 23, which slots 23 are elongated and receive the securing screws 24, the screws having enlarged heads 25 which fit within the channels 25, the channels 26 constituting a trackway for the heads 25 and 45 permitting the screws 24 to hold the racks against accidental displacement. The screws 24 will limit the longitudinal movement of the rack bar 2| relative to the sash l2.

The rack bar 2| is provided with a depending 50 tongue 21, which depending tongue 21 fits within the bifurcated end 28 of a dog 29, the dog 29 being pivotally secured to the tongue 27 by means of the pivot pin 30. The dog 29 is provided with a rearwardly extending bulged portion 33 which is adapted to normally rest within a pocket or channel 3 formed in the sash |2, as shown in Figure 5. A flat spring 35 is adapted to engage therear face of the dog 23 and to normally urge the same to a forward swinging position to move the front edge of the dog to an extended position, such as is shown in full lines in Figure 6. The dog 29 is provided with a bolt receiving socket 33, as shown in Figure 7 in' order to permit the dog 25% to be firmly held in a retracted or inactive position. 7

The sash |2, upon either side thereof near its bottom, is provided with a socket 31 in which is slidably mounted a spring pressed bolt 32, the reduced shank portion 33 of the bolt carrying a coil spring 39 and extending through the guides 43. A suitable guiding casing Lil is carried by the outer end of the socket 3? through which the head portion of the bolt 32 extends. The head portion of the bolt 32 is preferably beveled, as at 42, so as to facilitate the riding of the dog 29 over the outer end of the bolt 32 when the rack bar 2| is moved downwardly to an anchored position.

The window frame ll! may support in any suitable or desired position, a pair of latching plates 43 and 3|, preferably located at a point in longitudinal alignment with the pinion Hi. latching plates 43 and 3| are provided with inclined sockets M and 44a respectively, the socket 34 having a stop shoulder Mb at its upper end and the socket Ma having a stop shoulder M at its lower end. When the sash I2 is raised to the position shown in full lines in Figure 8 and the bolt 32 has been withdrawn from the dog 29, the spring 35 will force the dog 29 to the position to engage the stop shoulder Me When the bottom sash is raised to this position. This operation will also move the upper sash downwardly to the position shown in Figure 8. The bottom sash l2 may now slide downwardly independently of the rack bar 2i to a closed position due to the fact that the dog 29 will be in engagement with the shoulder M0 and the rack bar 2| will be held against sliding movement.

In order that the bolt 32 may be properly and manually operated to move the same to a retracted position, an operating plate 45 engages the shank portion 38 of the bolt 32 thereby permitting the bolt to be manually shifted from a locking to an unlocked position. The plate 45 is provided with a finger lug 56 and this plate 45 preferably covers the slot '47 formed in the socket plate :18 through which the connecting pin 55 of the plate at extends. The pin 52 engages the shank portion 38 previously described. a

The sash |2 is provided with lift sockets 5| within which sockets are mounted the socket plates 58 previously mentioned, the plate 45 and finger lug it being normally shielded within the socket plates d3, as shown in Figure 10.

Should it be desired, suitable stop plates 52 may be fitted upon the window frame it) by fitting within suitable notches 53 to limit the upward movement of the' lower sash I2. A stop plate 55 may also be carried by the frame ID to con- These by considering Figures 1 to 4, inclusive, will engage the dogs 29 and hold these dogs in a retracted position, such as is shown in Figure 5, the dogs 29 resting upon the rest plates 56 carried by the frame it It is now possible to automatically lower the upper sash merely by raising the lower sash i2 due to the fact that since the rack 2| is' locked for movement with the lower sash i2, this rack 2| will mesh with the pinion l4 and cause the rack ll to be moved downwardly, the rack ll being carried by the upper sash The reverse movement will cause both sashes to simultaneously close. 7

7 Should it be desired to open the upper sash and also the lower sash, the operation of the parts would be as follows: The bolts 32 are moved to a position for engagement with the dogs 29 locking the racks 2| in engagement with the lower sash I2. The lower sash is then raised and as the racks 2! move with it the pinions M will be rotated and since they mesh withthe racks i1, the upper sash M will be lowered an equal extent, such as is shown in Figure 8. By moving the bolts 32 out of engagement with the dogs 29 and allowing the dogs 29 to engagethe stop shoul-' ders Mic of the upper plates 3|, the rack bars 2| will be secured against downward movement, as shown in Figure 8, and the lower sash|2 may then be moved downwardly in the direction of the dotted arrow in Figure 8 to close the lower sash and leave the upper sash open. During this movement the pins 24 slide in the slots 23, the rack bars Zltand pin Hi remaining stationary. When it is desired to cause the bolts 32 to again engage the sockets 33 of the dogs 29, it is only necessary to raise the lower sash to a position in which the dogs will be shifted by cam action of the edges 44a of the plates 3| to a position in which the spring pressed bolts 32 will immediately fit within the sockets 36. The lower sash may then be slid downwardly to a closed position and rotationof the pinionswill cause the upper sash to simultaneously move upwardly to a closed position.

When it is desired to close the top sash and move the bottom sash to an open position independently of the upper sash, the bottomsash is raised to the point where the dogs 29 engage the stop shoulder 54b and the bolts 32 are released from the dogs 29. The racks 2| will .then lock against their upward movement. This ,movement of the lower sash naturally will move the upper sash slightly to a lowered position. However, as the bottom sash 2 is moved upwardly after the dogs have engaged the shoulders 445,

The bolts 32 may then be withdrawn from engagement with the dogs 29 and the lower sash moved upwardly tothe desired open position.-

When the two sashes are to be simultaneously moved, the rack bars 2| are locked in a stationary position by means of the bolts 32 which ene gage thedogs 29 in the manner as illustrated.

It will be noted that when the stop plates 53 and 54 are used the sashes may be limited in their movement through the structureprovided, a person cannot fall out through the window opening, and neither can entrance. be made through the window due to the limited amount of space provided by the opening of the-sashes.

It should be understood that certain detail 35 changes in the mechanical construction may be employed without departing from the spirit of the invention so long as these changes fall within the scope of the appended claims.

Having described the invention, what I claim as new is:

1. In a device of the character described, a sash, a movable rack bar carried by said sash, a dog for holding said rack bar in a set position pivotally secured to the lower end of the movable rack bar, the dog being adapted for engagement by a fastener whereby the rack bar may be held in a set position upon said sash, said sash having a channel formed adjacent the dog, and the dog having a bulged portion fitting in the channel for allowing the rack bar to slide upon the sash, and spring means for normally urging the dog to a latching position.

2. In a device of the character described, a rack bar adapted to be slidably mounted upon a sash, a dog carried by said rack bar and movable into and out of position for locking the rack bar in one position relative to a sash, and said rack bar having additional means whereby it may be locked in another position relative to the sash.

3. In a structure of the character described, a rack bar having a slot formed longitudinally thereof whereby the rack bar may be applied to a sash and slid longitudinally thereof, a dog pivotally connected with the lower end of said rack bar and depending therefrom, and a spring carried by the rack bar and engaging the dog to yieldably hold the dog in a latching position, the dog and rack bar being each formed with a socket for receiving a fastener whereby they may be selectively held in set positions.

4. A window sash actuating means for use with a plurality of window sashes, and a support for said sashes, comprising a rack bar carried by one sash and anchored thereon, a movable rack bar carried by the other sash, a pinion intermeshing between the rack bars of the respective sashes, said movable rack bar being longitudinally slotted to permit limited longitudinal movement thereof with respect to its supporting sash, a dog carried by the slotted rack bar for holding the same against movement in one direction and. permitting free sliding of the last mentioned sash with respect to the slotted rack bar, and securing means carried by the last mentioned sash and selectively engageable with the slotted rack bar for securing the same in a set position with respect to the last mentioned sash and with the dog for securing the same in set positions.

5. A device of the class described for use with a plurality of sashes, and a support for the sashes, comprising a fixed rack bar carried by one sash, a longitudinally movable rack bar carried by the other sash, a pinion interposed between the rack bars of the respective sashes, the movable rack bar being longitudinally slotted, a securing pin carried by the second mentioned sash and engaging said longitudinally slotted rack bar for limiting the longitudinal movement of said movable rack bar, a locking dog carried by the movable rack bar for locking the movable rack bar against movement in one direction and at the same time permitting the movement of the last mentioned sash with respect to the movable rack bar, and a releasable bolt carried by the second mentioned sash and engageable with said dog for locking said movable rack bar upon the second mentioned sash for bodily movement with the last mentioned sash, the releasable means being also directly engageable with the movable rack bar for securing the rack bar stationary with respect to said other sash.

6. A device of the class described for use with upper and lower sashes, and a support for the sashes, comprising a rack bar fixedly carried by the upper sash, a movable rack bar carried by the lower sash, a pinion carried by the support between the rack bars of the respective sashes, a dog pivotally secured to the lower end of the movable rack bar, means carried by the support for engaging the dog and holding the movable rack bar against movement in one direction, and a spring operated locking plunger engageable with the dog for moving the dog to an unlocked position and anchoring the movable rack bar upon its supporting sash.

'7. In a structure of the character described for use with a support and a sash, a movable rack bar carried by said sash, a dog pivotally secured to the lower end of said rack bar for holding the movable rack bar against movement in one direction, a locking plunger engageable with the dog for holding the dog in an unlocked position and anchoring the movable rack bar upon its supporting sash, said sash having a channel formed adjacent said dog and the dog having a bulged portion fitting in the channel, spring means for normally urging the dog to a latching position, said locking plunger having a beveled outer end to facilitate the riding of the dog over the outer end of said plunger, and a spring yieldably holding said locking plunger in position to automatically engage said dog.

ELMER A. ANDERSON. 

